Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
  • A23B—PRESERVATION OF FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES; CHEMICAL RIPENING OF FRUIT OR VEGETABLES
  • A23B7/00—Preservation of fruit or vegetables; Chemical ripening of fruit or vegetables
  • A23B7/10—Preserving with acids; Acid fermentation
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
  • A23G—COCOA; COCOA PRODUCTS, e.g. CHOCOLATE; SUBSTITUTES FOR COCOA OR COCOA PRODUCTS; CONFECTIONERY; CHEWING GUM; ICE-CREAM; PREPARATION THEREOF
  • A23G3/00—Sweetmeats; Confectionery; Marzipan; Coated or filled products
  • A23G3/34—Sweetmeats, confectionery or marzipan; Processes for the preparation thereof
  • A23G3/36—Sweetmeats, confectionery or marzipan; Processes for the preparation thereof characterised by the composition containing organic or inorganic compounds
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
  • A23L—FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; PREPARATION OR TREATMENT THEREOF
  • A23L13/00—Meat products; Meat meal; Preparation or treatment thereof
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
  • A23L—FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; PREPARATION OR TREATMENT THEREOF
  • A23L17/00—Food-from-the-sea products; Fish products; Fish meal; Fish-egg substitutes; Preparation or treatment thereof
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
  • A23L—FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; PREPARATION OR TREATMENT THEREOF
  • A23L2/00—Non-alcoholic beverages; Dry compositions or concentrates therefor; Preparation or treatment thereof
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
  • A23L—FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; PREPARATION OR TREATMENT THEREOF
  • A23L2/00—Non-alcoholic beverages; Dry compositions or concentrates therefor; Preparation or treatment thereof
  • A23L2/52—Adding ingredients
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
  • A23L—FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; PREPARATION OR TREATMENT THEREOF
  • A23L23/00—Soups; Sauces; Preparation or treatment thereof
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
  • A23L—FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; PREPARATION OR TREATMENT THEREOF
  • A23L27/00—Spices; Flavouring agents or condiments; Artificial sweetening agents; Table salts; Dietetic salt substitutes; Preparation or treatment thereof
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
  • A23L—FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; PREPARATION OR TREATMENT THEREOF
  • A23L27/00—Spices; Flavouring agents or condiments; Artificial sweetening agents; Table salts; Dietetic salt substitutes; Preparation or treatment thereof
  • A23L27/40—Table salts; Dietetic salt substitutes
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
  • A23L—FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; PREPARATION OR TREATMENT THEREOF
  • A23L33/00—Modifying nutritive qualities of foods; Dietetic products; Preparation or treatment thereof
  • A23L33/10—Modifying nutritive qualities of foods; Dietetic products; Preparation or treatment thereof using additives
  • A23L33/16—Inorganic salts, minerals or trace elements
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
  • A23L—FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; PREPARATION OR TREATMENT THEREOF
  • A23L7/00—Cereal-derived products; Malt products; Preparation or treatment thereof
  • A23L7/10—Cereal-derived products
  • A23L7/117—Flakes or other shapes of ready-to-eat type; Semi-finished or partly-finished products therefor
  • A23L7/13—Snacks or the like obtained by oil frying of a formed cereal dough
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
  • A23L—FOODS, FOODSTUFFS OR NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; PREPARATION OR TREATMENT THEREOF
  • A23L7/00—Cereal-derived products; Malt products; Preparation or treatment thereof
  • A23L7/10—Cereal-derived products
  • A23L7/161—Puffed cereals, e.g. popcorn or puffed rice

Definitions

• the invention of the present application relates to a taste composition for reducing the sodium content in food and beverages without impairing the saltiness, a reduced-salt seasoning or reduced-salt food and beverage produced using the taste composition, and a method for producing the reduced-salt seasoning or reduced-salt food and beverage.
• BACKGROUND ART Sodium is an important physiological element that is found mainly in extracellular fluid in the body and adjusts the balance of minerals inside and outside the cells. Sodium cooperates with potassium to maintain the body's water balance and osmotic pressure, and is also involved in acid-base balance, muscle contraction, mediation of nerve excitation, and the absorption and transport of nutrients. Importantly, sodium regulates blood pressure by maintaining the volume of extracellular fluid and circulating blood while retaining water. However, excessive sodium intake increases the volume of extracellular fluid, causing cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension and renal failure.
• Saltiness is one of the five basic tastes of food, and is the taste of table salt. Saltiness is perceived by a subpopulation of taste cells (salty taste cells) in taste buds, which are sensory receptors localized in the epithelial layer of the oral cavity. Molecular cell biology, physiology, and behavioral studies using rodents have revealed that there are at least three types of salty taste cells with different molecular characteristics (Non-Patent Documents 1 and 2). One of these types expresses the ⁇ / ⁇ / ⁇ subunit trimer of the epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) as a taste receptor and has a low threshold for sensing sodium.
• ENaC epithelial sodium channel
• This subpopulation of taste cells is called amiloride-sensitive salty taste cells because its activity as a sodium sensor is inhibited in the presence of the diuretic amiloride, which is an inhibitor of ENaC.
• the salty taste information received by amiloride-sensitive salty taste cells is transmitted from the peripheral nervous system to the central nervous system, where it is evaluated and identified as a pleasant taste for mammals, increasing appetite (Non-Patent Document 3).
• other salty taste cells in the taste buds are part of a separate subpopulation of taste cells responsible for the reception of bitter or sour tastes, and have a high threshold for sensing sodium chloride (Non-Patent Document 2).
• the salty taste information received by these cells is transmitted to the central nervous system via a neural circuit different from that originating from the amiloride-sensitive salty taste cells.
• the taste information is evaluated and identified as an aversive taste for mammals, inducing an aversive behavior in the animals.
• the salty taste signal generated by these cells is not inhibited even in the presence of amiloride. Therefore, these heterogeneous subpopulations of taste cells are collectively referred to as amiloride-insensitive salty taste cells.
• the taste of salt is received by multiple types of taste bud cells, transmitted through different neural circuits originating from different taste cells, and evaluated in different ways. Reflecting the existence of these opposing taste pathways, the taste of salt is recognized as a pleasant taste at low concentrations, but becomes aversive at high concentrations. This acts as a safety device to prevent excessive sodium intake.
• Non-Patent Documents 4 and 5 the main molecular mechanism of sodium sensing in salty taste cells, which are the starting point of the neural circuit that gives a positive evaluation to the taste of salt in humans, has not been clarified.
• the present inventors recently revealed for the first time part of the molecular mechanism of salty taste reception in amiloride-insensitive salty taste cells of rodents (Non-Patent Document 6).
• the present inventors focused on the fact that amiloride-insensitive salty taste cells are observed in both fungiform papillae, which are taste tissues located at the front of the tongue, and circumvallate papillae, which are located at the back of the tongue, in rodents, while amiloride-sensitive salty taste cells are observed in fungiform papillae but not in circumvallate papillae, and screened for genes that are specifically expressed in circumvallate papillae.
• the inventors discovered that the TMC4 gene is expressed in a subpopulation of taste bud cells located in circumvallate papillae, but is expressed at a very low frequency in taste bud cells located in fungiform papillae.
• TMC4 is a novel voltage-dependent anion channel that plays a role in enhancing the salty taste signal received in taste cells in the presence of anions such as chloride ions (anion effect).
• TMC4-expressing taste cells constitute a subpopulation of amiloride-insensitive salty taste cells.
• this may be the only established and available knowledge on the molecular basis of salty taste reception in humans.
• Patent Documents 1 and 2 methods have been developed to remove sodium from foods by desalination using ion exchange membranes (Patent Documents 1 and 2), as well as salt substitutes and saltiness enhancers to reduce the sodium content in foods and beverages without reducing the saltiness.
• potassium chloride is the most commonly used salt substitute, but it not only tastes salty, but also has a specific unpleasant metallic taste and bitter taste, often referred to as acridness. Therefore, in the development of salt substitutes based on inorganic salts, it is necessary to minimize such unpleasant tastes.
• potassium chloride is used as a salt substitute for patients suffering from high blood pressure, heart failure, renal failure or diabetes and therefore requiring a low-sodium diet, but daily intake of potassium chloride may increase the risk of hyperkalemia.
• Patent Document 3 proposes a salty taste enhancer containing at least one of potassium chloride, ammonium chloride, calcium chloride, magnesium chloride and lysine hydrochloride. However, it has been shown that such salt substitutes containing only chloride salts are not the best solution as a substitute for salt (Patent Document 4). Patent Document 5 proposes a salty taste enhancing composition that is used to add less salt and an amount of encapsulated ammonium salt sufficient to enhance the salty taste to food or beverages.
• Non-Patent Document 7 identifies a salty taste enhancing peptide purified from yeast extract, and in silico analysis reveals that this peptide binds to the allosteric site of TMC4.
• Patent Document 6 shows that guanidine compounds can be used as salty taste enhancers.
• these compounds function as salty taste enhancers, they are not derived from natural products and have not been screened as food additives. Therefore, many hurdles must be overcome in order to add these compounds to meals.
• TMC4 is a novel chloride channel involved in high-concentration salt taste sensation. J Physiol Sci. 2021;71(1):23. Shen DY. et al., Identification of novel saltiness-enhancing peptides from yeast extract and their mechanism of action for transmembrane channel-like 4 (TMC4) protein through experimental and integrated computational modeling. Food Chem. 2022;388:132993.
• the invention of the present application provides a taste composition for enhancing the saltiness of food and beverages, a reduced-salt seasoning or reduced-salt food and beverage produced using the taste composition, and a method for producing the reduced-salt seasoning or reduced-salt food and beverage.
• Some of the well-known salt substitutes or salty taste enhancers are manufactured by combining multiple raw materials (JP Patent Publication No. 2017-135996, JP Patent Publication No. 2017-200478, and JP Patent Publication No. 2019-165640). In the blending of such raw materials, the strength of the salty taste and off-taste was optimized by empirically changing the ratio of each component without any guidelines.
• the present inventors have discovered that the salty taste enhancement ratio of a taste composition based on a salt substitute containing chloride ions is proportional to the molar ratio of chloride ions/sodium ions in the presence of anions of an organic acid or an inorganic acid other than hydrochloric acid as a salty taste enhancer, and have achieved the present invention.
• the present invention provides a taste composition that can enhance saltiness at low cost and easily by selecting, as an example, a readily available substance that exhibits or enhances a salty taste from a list of food additives and optimizing the composition using the above method.
• the present invention provides a taste composition for enhancing the saltiness of a food or drink, comprising: Ammonium chloride; one or more sodium salts of organic acids and/or one or more sodium salts of inorganic acids other than hydrochloric acid; and sodium chloride,
• the taste composition of the present invention has a molar ratio of chloride ions/sodium ions of about 1.30 to about 2.10. In one embodiment, the molar ratio of ammonium chloride/sodium chloride in the taste composition of the present invention is about 0.4 to about 6.0. In one embodiment, the taste composition of the present invention is in a solid form and contains about 10% to about 30% by weight of sodium ions.
• the taste composition of the present invention is in a solid form and is used as a substitute for table salt. In one embodiment, the taste composition of the present invention is in a liquid form and contains about 40 mM to about 3.0 M of sodium ions. In one embodiment, the taste composition of the present invention is in a liquid form and has a pH of about 5.5 to about 8.6.
• the present invention provides a reduced-salt seasoning containing the taste composition of the present invention in place of salt in an amount of about 0.5% by weight to about 95% by weight, and having a molar ratio of chloride ions to sodium ions of about 1.30 to about 2.10.
• the reduced-salt seasoning of the present invention is in a liquid or paste form, and has a molar ratio of chloride ions to sodium ions of about 1.46 to about 2.10.
• the liquid or paste reduced-salt seasoning has a molar ratio of potassium ions to sodium ions of 0 to about 0.080.
• the present invention provides a reduced-salt food or drink containing the taste composition of the present invention in place of salt in an amount of about 0.01% by weight to about 50% by weight, and having a molar ratio of chloride ions to sodium ions of about 1.30 to about 2.10.
• the present invention provides a method for producing a reduced-salt seasoning, comprising adding the taste composition of the present invention to a seasoning material.
• the present invention provides a method for producing a reduced-salt food or beverage, comprising adding the taste composition of the present invention to a food or beverage material.
• the present invention provides a method for enhancing the saltiness of a food or beverage, comprising adding a taste composition for enhancing the saltiness of a food or beverage, comprising: ammonium chloride; one or more sodium salts of organic acids and/or one or more sodium salts of inorganic acids excluding hydrochloric acid; and sodium chloride, wherein the molar ratio of chloride ions/sodium ions is about 1.30 to about 2.10, to a food or beverage material.
• the present invention provides use of a taste composition for enhancing the saltiness of a food or beverage, comprising: ammonium chloride; one or more sodium salts of organic acids and/or one or more sodium salts of inorganic acids excluding hydrochloric acid; and sodium chloride, wherein the molar ratio of chloride ions/sodium ions is about 1.30 to about 2.10.
• the taste composition of the present invention is for use in a subject with hypertension or prehypertension. In one embodiment, the taste composition of the present invention is for use in a healthy subject.
• the present invention relates to a taste composition for enhancing salty taste components received by TMC4-expressing taste cells in foods and beverages, comprising: Ammonium chloride; one or more sodium salts of organic acids and/or one or more sodium salts of inorganic acids other than hydrochloric acid; and sodium chloride,
• the taste composition has a molar ratio of chloride ions to sodium ions of about 1.30 to about 2.10.
• the taste composition of the present invention exhibits a stronger saltiness and a weaker off-taste than reduced-salt seasonings currently available on the market.
• the amount of sodium in food and beverages can be reduced by 40% to 60% compared to normal food and beverages that use only salt. Therefore, the taste composition of the present invention can increase the satisfaction of the food experience of subjects under salt restriction.
• the taste composition of the present invention has a significant effect on the health management of subjects with hypertension or prehypertension, and healthy subjects who wish to prevent these conditions.
• the present invention provides a taste composition for reducing the sodium ion content in food and beverages without impairing the saltiness by blending a combination of conventional salty substances to maximize the anion effect.
• TMC4 voltage-dependent anion channel
• amiloride-insensitive salty taste cells respond to salt at a relatively high threshold and activate neural circuits that induce aversive behavior in animals (see Oka Y. et al., High salt recruits aversive taste pathways. Nature. 2013;494(7438):472-5.).
• the inventors achieved the present invention through the surprising discovery that the anion effect enhances low-threshold salty components that are perceived as pleasant by humans, thereby providing a taste composition in which the sodium content can be reduced by about half without compromising the saltiness.
• taste refers to one of the five senses, and to the sensation that occurs when food is ingested.
• Taste is generated when taste substances in food are received by taste cells in taste buds distributed in the epithelial layer of the oral cavity.
• the taste cells transmit the received taste information to the gustatory nerves, which are peripheral sensory nerves that project the taste buds.
• the taste information is further transmitted from the gustatory nerves to the central nervous system, and finally reaches the cerebral cortical gustatory area, where it is recognized.
• salty taste cells refers to a subpopulation of taste bud cells that includes multiple cell types and that are sensitive to the taste of sodium chloride.
• Salty taste cells include amiloride-sensitive salty taste cells and amiloride-insensitive salty taste cells (see Chandrashekar J. et al., The cells and peripheral representation of sodium taste in mice. Nature. 2010;464(7286):297-301. and Oka Y. et al., High salt recruits aversive taste pathways. Nature. 2013;494(7438):472-5.).
• amiloride-sensitive salty taste cells refers to taste cells that express the epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) ⁇ / ⁇ / ⁇ trimer as a taste receptor and transmit sodium ion taste information to the gustatory nerve.
• ENaC epithelial sodium channel
• the activity of ENaC ⁇ / ⁇ / ⁇ trimers is inhibited by the diuretic amiloride. Therefore, when a solution of sodium chloride mixed with amiloride is presented in the oral cavity of a mammal, the salty taste is partially reduced.
• amiloride-insensitive salty taste cells respond to sodium chloride at a higher threshold than amiloride-sensitive salty taste cells, and in rodents, they are responsible for receiving high concentrations of sodium chloride.
• the taste receptor that causes the primary salty taste signal in amiloride-insensitive salty taste cells has not been identified, but it is speculated to be an ion channel that is responsible for receiving several cations, including sodium ions.
• Amiloride-sensitive and amiloride-insensitive salty taste cells activate different neural circuits, and in rodents, the former induces attraction behavior toward sodium chloride solution, while the latter induces aversion behavior.
• anion effect refers to the phenomenon in which saltiness is enhanced in the presence of several anions, including chloride.
• the inventors have discovered that the anion effect is mediated by the voltage-dependent anion channel TMC4, which is expressed in a subpopulation of amiloride-insensitive salty taste cells (see Kasahara Y. et al., TMC4 is a novel chloride channel involved in high-concentration salt taste sensation. J Physiol Sci. 2021;71(1):23.).
• TMC4 enhances salty taste signals by shortening the interval of action potentials generated by TMC4-expressing taste cells that are depolarized by a primary signal from an unidentified salty taste receptor, via the influx of chloride ions into the cells.
• table salt refers to a seasoning whose main component is sodium chloride, used to give foods and beverages a salty taste.
• Table salt includes sea salt, rock salt, and lake salt, each of which is obtained from different sources.
• sea salt is mainly produced by concentrating sodium chloride in seawater using membrane dialysis and boiling it down to crystallize it.
• taste composition refers to a composition that improves the eating experience of a subject by imparting or enhancing one or more of the five basic tastes, including sweetness, bitterness, umami, saltiness, and sourness, to a seasoning or food or drink.
• salt substitute refers to a substance that has a taste similar to the saltiness of sodium chloride.
• exemplary salt substitutes include potassium chloride and ammonium chloride. Salt substitutes have traditionally been used to reduce sodium intake by replacing part or all of the salt added to foods and beverages.
• salty taste enhancer refers to a substance that does not have a salty taste or has an extremely weak salty taste by itself, but has the effect of enhancing the salty taste in the presence of a small amount of salt. Therefore, by using a salty taste enhancer, even food and beverages with a low salt content can be provided with a salty taste equivalent to that of food and beverages with a higher salt content.
• the term "molar ratio of chloride ions/sodium ions” as used herein refers to the ratio obtained by dividing the total amount of chloride ions contained in the taste composition, reduced-salt seasoning, or reduced-salt food or drink of the present invention by the total amount of sodium ions contained in the taste composition, reduced-salt seasoning, or reduced-salt food or drink.
• the "molar ratio of chloride ions/sodium ions" in the taste composition, reduced-salt seasoning, or reduced-salt food or drink can be about 1.00 to about 2.30, preferably about 1.30 to about 2.10, and more preferably about 1.30 to about 1.90.
• ammonium chloride/sodium chloride molar ratio refers to the ratio of the amount of ammonium chloride in the taste composition of the present invention divided by the amount of sodium chloride in the taste composition.
• the ammonium chloride/sodium chloride molar ratio in the taste composition can be about 0.2 to about 6.0, preferably about 0.4 to about 2.5, and more preferably about 0.5 to about 1.5.
• potassium ion/sodium ion molar ratio refers to the ratio obtained by dividing the amount of potassium ions contained in the liquid or paste-like reduced-salt seasoning or liquid or paste-like reduced-salt food or drink of the present invention by the amount of sodium ions contained in the reduced-salt seasoning or reduced-salt food or drink.
• the potassium ion/sodium ion molar ratio of the liquid or paste-like reduced-salt seasoning or liquid or paste-like reduced-salt food or drink of the present invention can be 0 to about 0.100, preferably 0 to about 0.080, and more preferably 0 to about 0.074.
• food additives refers to chemical substances that are added or mixed into food and beverage ingredients during the manufacturing process to improve various physical, chemical, and biological properties of the food and beverage.
• Food additives are classified into “designated additives” designated by the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare after confirming their safety and effectiveness, "existing additives” whose categories are set as natural additives that have been used for many years, as well as “natural flavorings” and “general food and beverage additives.”
• organic acid refers to an organic compound that exhibits acidic properties.
• organic acids include, but are not limited to, carboxylic acids, amino acids, nucleotides, and vitamins or vitamin derivatives.
• carboxylic acid refers to an organic compound in which a carboxyl group is attached to a hydrocarbon chain.
• Carboxylic acids are classified as monobasic carboxylic acids and polybasic carboxylic acids, depending on the number of carboxyl groups contained per molecule.
• the polybasic carboxylic acids include, for example, dibasic carboxylic acids and tribasic carboxylic acids.
• Monocarboxylic acids include, but are not limited to, acetic acid, propionic acid, valeric acid, caproic acid, lactic acid, lauric acid, myristic acid, palmitic acid, margaric acid, oleic acid, stearoyl lactic acid, benzoic acid, glyceric acid, gluconic acid, glucuronic acid, galacturonic acid, iduronic acid, and neuraminic acid.
• Dicarboxylic acids include, but are not limited to, oxalic acid, malonic acid, succinic acid, glutaric acid, adipic acid, sebacic acid, maleic acid, fumaric acid, mesaconic acid, malic acid, tartaric acid, mesoxalic acid, oxaloacetic acid, diaminopimelic acid, pamoic acid, and norbixin.
• Tricarboxylic acids include, but are not limited to, citric acid, isocitric acid, aconitic acid, and oxalosuccinic acid.
• amino acid refers to a compound having a carboxyl group and an amino group. Unless otherwise specified, the type of amino acid is not particularly limited. From the viewpoint of optical isomerism, the amino acid may be D-, L-, or racemic. From the viewpoint of the relative position of the carboxyl group and the amino group, the amino acid may be any of ⁇ -, ⁇ -, ⁇ -, ⁇ -, and ⁇ -amino acids.
• the amino acid may be a standard amino acid, preferably including glycine, alanine, valine, leucine, isoleucine, methionine, proline, phenylalanine, tryptophan, serine, threonine, tyrosine, cysteine, asparagine, glutamine, aspartic acid, glutamic acid, lysine, arginine, and histidine.
• the amino acid also includes amino acid derivatives including 4-hydroxyproline, hydroxylysine, 3-methylhistidine, norvaline, ⁇ -alanine, ⁇ -aminobutyric acid, citrulline, homocysteine, homoserine, ornithine, and methionine sulfone.
• nucleobase refers to purine and pyrimidine derivative heterocyclic compounds that form pairs through hydrogen bonds, including naturally occurring nucleobases and modified nucleobases.
• naturally occurring nucleobase refers to adenine (A), thymine (T), guanine (G), cytosine (C), uracil (U) and inosine (I).
• modified nucleobase refers to a heterocyclic compound that can form pairs with at least one naturally occurring nucleobase.
• nucleoside refers to a compound in which a nucleobase is attached to the 1' position of a pentose sugar.
• nucleotide refers to a compound in which a phosphate group is linked to the 5' position of the pentose sugar moiety of a nucleoside. Nucleotides include, but are not limited to, 5'-adenylic acid, 5'-thymidylic acid, 5'-guanylic acid, 5'-cytidylic acid, 5'-uridylic acid, and 5'-inosinic acid.
• Vitamins refers to nutrients that cannot be synthesized in sufficient quantities in the human body and must be obtained from the diet. Vitamins are small organic compounds with diverse chemical structures. Vitamins are classified as either water-soluble or fat-soluble vitamins. Water-soluble vitamins dissolve readily in water and include, but are not limited to, vitamin B1 (thiamine), vitamin B2 (riboflavin), vitamin B3 (niacin), vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid), vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), vitamin B8 (biotin), vitamin B9 (folic acid), vitamin B12 (cobalamin), and vitamin C (L-ascorbic acid).
• vitamin B1 thiamine
• vitamin B2 riboflavin
• vitamin B3 niacin
• vitamin B5 pantothenic acid
• vitamin B6 pyridoxine
• vitamin B8 biotin
• vitamin B9 folic acid
• vitamin B12 cobalamin
• vitamin C L-ascorbic acid
• Fat-soluble vitamins are absorbed from the intestinal tract with the aid of lipids and include, but are not limited to, vitamin A (retinol, retinal and retinoic acid), vitamin D (vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) from plant sources and vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) from animal sources), vitamin E (tocopherol and tocotrienol) and vitamin K (vitamin K1 (phylloquinone) from plant sources and vitamin K2 (menaquinone) from animal or bacterial sources).
• vitamin A retinol, retinal and retinoic acid
• vitamin D2 vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) from plant sources and vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) from animal sources
• vitamin E tocopherol and tocotrienol
• vitamin K vitamin K1 (phylloquinone) from plant sources and vitamin K2 (menaquinone) from animal or bacterial sources.
• vitamin derivatives refers to any metabolites, breakdown products, ester compounds and other chemical reaction
• sodium salt of an organic acid refers to a substance in which an organic acid forms a salt with a sodium ion.
• the sodium salt of an organic acid includes sodium salts of carboxylic acids, amino acids, nucleotides, and vitamins or vitamin derivatives.
• an organic acid contains a polyvalent anion, it is sufficient that one or more of the counter cations is a sodium ion, and it is not necessary that all of the counter cations are sodium ions.
• the polyvalent anion may contain a carboxyl group or a hydroxyl group from which a proton has not been dissociated.
• the sodium salt of a monobasic carboxylic acid may be, but is not limited to, preferably sodium acetate, sodium propionate, sodium lactate, sodium oleate, sodium stearoyl lactate, sodium benzoate, or sodium gluconate.
• the sodium salt of a dibasic carboxylic acid may be, but is not limited to, preferably monosodium succinate, disodium succinate, monosodium fumarate, sodium DL-malate, sodium L-tartrate, sodium DL-tartrate, or sodium norbixin.
• the sodium salt of a tribasic carboxylic acid may be, but is not limited to, preferably trisodium citrate.
• the sodium salt of an amino acid may be, but is not limited to, preferably sodium L-aspartate or sodium L-glutamate.
• the sodium salt of a nucleotide may be, but is not limited to, preferably disodium 5'-adenylate, disodium 5'-guanylate, disodium 5'-cytidylate, disodium 5'-uridylate, or disodium 5'-inosinate.
• the sodium salt of a vitamin or vitamin derivative may be, but is not limited to, preferably sodium pantothenate, sodium L-ascorbate, or sodium erythorbate.
• inorganic acid refers to an inorganic compound exhibiting acidity.
• the inorganic acids include phosphorus-containing inorganic acids, carbonic acid, sulfur-containing inorganic acids, nitrogen-containing inorganic acids, and selenium-containing inorganic acids.
• phosphorus-containing inorganic acid refers to an oxoacid containing phosphorus or an inorganic polymeric compound formed by polymerization of an oxoacid containing phosphorus.
• the phosphorus-containing inorganic acids include, but are not limited to, phosphoric acid, pyrophosphoric acid, metaphosphoric acid, and polyphosphoric acid.
• carbonic acid refers to an oxoacid having one carbon at its center.
• sulfur-containing inorganic acid refers to an oxoacid containing sulfur.
• the sulfur-containing inorganic acids include, but are not limited to, sulfuric acid, sulfurous acid, and pyrosulfurous acid.
• nitrogen-containing inorganic acid refers to an oxoacid containing nitrogen.
• the nitrogen-containing inorganic acids include, but are not limited to, nitric acid and nitrous acid.
• selenium as used herein refers to an oxoacid containing selenium.
• the selenium-containing inorganic acid includes, but is not limited to, selenious acid.
• the term "oxoacid” refers to an acid in which a hydroxyl group and an oxo group are attached to the same atom and an acidic proton is present on the hydroxyl group.
• the inorganic acid is a phosphorus-containing inorganic acid.
• the phosphorus-containing inorganic acid is phosphoric acid.
• the inorganic acid is phosphoric acid.
• sodium salt of an inorganic acid refers to a substance in which an inorganic acid forms a salt with a sodium ion.
• an inorganic acid contains a polyvalent anion
• one or more of the counter cations may be a sodium ion, and all of the counter cations do not necessarily have to be sodium ions.
• the polyvalent anion may contain a hydroxyl group with no dissociated proton.
• the sodium salt of the inorganic acid includes sodium salts of phosphorus-containing inorganic acids, carbonic acid, sulfur-containing inorganic acids, nitrogen-containing inorganic acids, and selenium-containing inorganic acids.
• the sodium salt of an inorganic acid is preferably, but not limited to, trisodium phosphate, disodium hydrogen phosphate, sodium dihydrogen phosphate, tetrasodium pyrophosphate, disodium dihydrogen pyrophosphate, sodium metaphosphate, sodium polyphosphate, sodium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, sodium sulfate, sodium sulfite, sodium pyrosulfite, sodium nitrate, sodium nitrite, or sodium selenite.
• the sodium salt of the inorganic acid is a sodium salt of a phosphorus-containing inorganic acid.
• the sodium salt of the phosphorus-containing inorganic acid is trisodium phosphate, disodium hydrogen phosphate, or sodium dihydrogen phosphate. In a preferred embodiment, the sodium salt of the phosphorus-containing inorganic acid is trisodium phosphate. In a preferred embodiment, the sodium salt of the inorganic acid is trisodium phosphate, disodium hydrogen phosphate, or sodium dihydrogen phosphate. In a preferred embodiment, the sodium salt of the inorganic acid is trisodium phosphate.
• Sodium salts of organic acids and sodium salts of inorganic acids are preferably designated as food additives.
• reduced-salt seasoning refers to a seasoning produced by replacing a part or all of the required amount of salt with the taste composition of the present invention or a well-known salt substitute or saltiness enhancer, and refers to a seasoning that has a salty taste as strong as that of a seasoning containing regular salt, but has a reduced sodium ion content.
• the reduced-salt seasoning can be in solid, liquid, or paste form.
• reduced-salt food and beverage refers to food and beverage products that have a reduced sodium ion content without impairing the saltiness, produced by replacing part or all of the required amount of salt with the taste composition of the present invention or a well-known salt substitute or saltiness enhancer, or by replacing part or all of the required amount of seasoning with the reduced-salt seasoning of the present invention.
• cardiovascular disease refers to pathological conditions occurring in the organs and tissues of the circulatory system, including the heart or blood vessels. Cardiovascular diseases include cardiac hypertrophy, cardiomyopathy, myocardial infarction, ischemic heart disease, angina pectoris, heart failure including congestive heart failure and acute heart failure, arrhythmias including atrial fibrillation, coronary artery disease, aneurysms, atherosclerosis, arteriosclerosis obliterans, hypertension, and hypertensive retinopathy.
• hypertension refers to a condition characterized by, for example, a systolic blood pressure (SBP) of 140 mmHg or higher and/or a diastolic blood pressure (DBP) of 90 mmHg or higher. If left untreated, hypertension can lead to arteriosclerosis by chronically constricting blood vessels, which can then cause various complications.
• SBP systolic blood pressure
• DBP diastolic blood pressure
• prehypertension refers to a condition characterized by, for example, an SBP of 120 mmHg or greater but less than 140 mmHg and/or a DBP of 80 mmHg or greater but less than 90 mmHg.
• the term "complications of hypertension” refers to, for example, cerebrovascular disorders including stroke, ischemic heart disease, heart disease including cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure, kidney disease, and vascular diseases including aneurysm, arteriosclerosis obliterans, and hypertensive retinopathy.
• renal insufficiency refers to a pathological condition accompanied by a progressive loss of renal function, and can be determined by a decrease in glomerular filtration rate and creatinine clearance, which are indicators of the kidney's excretory capacity.
• excretion of salt and water becomes insufficient, which can lead to hypertension.
• hypertension the burden on the kidneys increases, which can lead to renal insufficiency.
• renal insufficiency and hypertension put patients in a negative spiral. Improvement in hypertension can also lead to improvement in renal insufficiency.
• the terms “reduced salt” or “reduced salt” as used herein refer to a state in which the sodium ion content in a seasoning or food or drink produced using the taste composition of the present invention is reduced compared to the sodium ion content in a regular seasoning or food or drink produced using table salt with a similar salty taste.
• the taste composition of the present invention contains sodium that is reduced by about 30% to about 75%, preferably about 35% to about 70%, and more preferably about 40% to about 60%, compared to table salt with a similar salty taste.
• exhibiting an enhanced salty taste means that an aqueous solution of the taste composition of the present invention induces a stronger salty taste in the oral cavity of a subject compared to a saline solution containing the same amount of sodium ions.
• exhibiting an enhanced salty taste means that a seasoning or food or drink in which part or all of the salt is replaced with the taste composition of the present invention induces a stronger salty taste in the oral cavity of a subject compared to a seasoning or food or drink containing the same amount of sodium ions without the addition of the taste composition.
• An aqueous solution of a taste composition that exhibits an enhanced salty taste exhibits a salty taste of the same intensity as a saline solution containing a larger amount of sodium ions, despite containing a smaller amount of sodium ions.
• a reduced-salt seasoning that exhibits an enhanced salty taste exhibits a salty taste of the same intensity as a normal seasoning produced using only salt containing a larger amount of sodium ions, despite containing a smaller amount of sodium ions.
• a reduced-salt food or drink exhibiting an enhanced salty taste exhibits a salty taste of the same intensity as that of a normal food or drink produced using only table salt containing a larger amount of sodium ions, despite containing a smaller amount of sodium ions.
• an aqueous solution of a taste composition exhibiting an enhanced salty taste exhibits a salty taste that is enhanced by about 40% to about 170%, preferably about 45% to about 150%, and more preferably about 50% to about 110%, compared to a saline solution containing the same amount of sodium ions.
• a reduced-salt seasoning or reduced-salt food or drink exhibiting an enhanced salty taste exhibits a salty taste that is enhanced by about 40% to about 170%, preferably about 45% to about 150%, and more preferably about 50% to about 110%, compared to a normal seasoning or food or drink produced using only table salt containing the same amount of sodium ions.
• the enhanced saltiness can be measured by in vitro test systems using heterologous expression systems of TMC4, in vivo test systems using genetically modified animals, taste sensors, or sensory evaluations based on human perception.
• the term "subject" refers to a mammalian subject. Mammals include, but are not limited to, humans, non-human primates, dogs, cats, hamsters, guinea pigs, mice, cows, pigs, horses, goats, and sheep. Preferably, the mammalian subject is a human subject.
• saltiness enhancement ratio refers to the ratio of the saltiness intensity of the taste composition of the present invention having a given sodium ion concentration divided by the concentration (w/v%) of a saline solution containing the same amount of sodium ions.
• the saltiness intensity of the taste composition of the present invention is scored by trained panelists based on the scoring method of analytical sensory evaluation, and is expressed as the concentration (w/v%) of a saline solution having the same saltiness intensity. Each panelist memorizes the concentration (w/v%) of the saline solution in increments of 0.1%, and measures the saltiness intensity of the taste composition based on their sensory experience.
• the saltiness enhancement ratio of the taste composition of the present invention shows a high correlation with the molar ratio of chloride ions/sodium ions.
• analytical sensory evaluation refers to a sensory evaluation method for evaluating the characteristics of samples (e.g., sweetness of a cake or firmness of meat) or for identifying quality differences between samples.
• Analytical sensory evaluation requires panelists to be highly sensitive, so panelists undergo specialized training depending on the purpose. Analytical sensory evaluation is not based on the panelists' personal feelings or preferences, but rather on their senses alone, making it possible to make objective measurements.
• Analytical sensory evaluation includes the two-point discrimination method, the three-point discrimination method, the match-up method, the ranking method, the rating method, the paired comparison method, and Scheffe's paired comparison method.
• the term "rating method” as used herein refers to a method of evaluating a certain characteristic (e.g., saltiness) of a given sample by a score based on the panelist's own sensory experience.
• the saltiness intensity of a sample scored by the scoring method is converted into the concentration (w/v%) of a saline solution that exhibits the same saltiness intensity as the sample.
• the intensity of a taste other than saltiness (off-taste) exhibited by a sample scored by the scoring method may be graded into several stages from the viewpoint of the presence or absence of an off-taste, acceptability, or taste quality.
• the term “ranking method” refers to a method of ranking a certain characteristic (e.g., saltiness intensity) of three or more samples based on the sensory experience of panelists.
• two-point discrimination refers to a method in which panelists compare two samples on a certain attribute (e.g., saltiness intensity) based on sensory experience to determine which sample is superior.
• a certain attribute e.g., saltiness intensity
• Pearson correlation coefficient is one of the correlation coefficients used to determine whether there is any association between two observed variables, i.e., whether an increase in one leads to an increase or decrease in the other, or to determine the degree of such association, and is also called the Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient.
• the Pearson correlation coefficient is calculated under the assumption that the two observed variables follow a normal distribution and are randomly extracted from a population.
• the term “about” or “approximately” refers to a tolerance for a numerical value or range of a parameter characterizing a configuration or property of the present invention, depending in part on how the value is measured or determined.
• the term “about” or “approximately” means that a numerical value or range is within 1 or 2 standard deviations from the specified numerical value or range.
• the term “about” or “approximately” means that a numerical value or range is within 20%, 15%, 10%, 9%, 8%, 7%, 6%, 5%, 4%, 3%, 2%, 1%, 0.5%, or 0.05% of the specified numerical value or range.
• x to y refers to a range of numbers with x as the lower limit and y as the upper limit.
• the words "preferred” and “preferably” are used to describe embodiments of the present invention that may provide certain benefits, under particular circumstances. However, other embodiments may be preferred, under the same or other circumstances. Further, the identification of one or more preferred embodiments does not imply that other embodiments are not useful, and is not intended to exclude other embodiments from the scope of the present invention, including the claims.
• invention as used in this specification is intended to include all technical matters described in the claims, all technical matters described in the detailed description of the invention, all technical matters that are substantially the same or equivalent thereto, and technical matters that are obvious to a person skilled in the art from all technical matters described in the detailed description of the invention and all technical matters that are substantially the same or equivalent thereto.
• a taste composition for enhancing the saltiness of a food or beverage comprising ammonium chloride, one or more sodium salts of organic acids and/or one or more sodium salts of inorganic acids excluding hydrochloric acid, and sodium chloride, and having a molar ratio of chloride ions/sodium ions of about 1.30 to about 2.10.
• a taste composition for enhancing an amiloride-insensitive salty taste component in a food or beverage comprising ammonium chloride, one or more sodium salts of organic acids and/or one or more sodium salts of inorganic acids excluding hydrochloric acid, and sodium chloride, and having a molar ratio of chloride ions/sodium ions of about 1.30 to about 2.10.
• a taste composition for enhancing salty taste components received by TMC4-expressing taste cells in a food or drink comprising ammonium chloride, one or more sodium salts of organic acids and/or one or more sodium salts of inorganic acids excluding hydrochloric acid, and sodium chloride, and having a molar ratio of chloride ions/sodium ions of about 1.30 to about 2.10. All of the ammonium chloride, one or more sodium salts of organic acids and/or one or more sodium salts of inorganic acids excluding hydrochloric acid, and sodium chloride are commercially available.
• the amount of chloride ions that produce a secondary salty taste enhancement signal in taste cells is set higher than the amount of sodium ions that produce a primary salty taste signal in taste cells, thereby making it possible to reduce the sodium ion content in the food or drink without impairing the saltiness.
• ammonium chloride is the most suitable salt substitute for achieving the object of the present invention.
• One or more sodium salts of organic acids and/or one or more sodium salts of inorganic acids other than hydrochloric acid are added not only to provide a sodium source but also to enhance the salty taste of ammonium chloride.
• the structure of the organic acid or inorganic acid is not particularly limited, and any of monovalent carboxylic acids, divalent carboxylic acids, trivalent carboxylic acids, amino acids, nucleotides, vitamins or vitamin derivatives, phosphorus-containing inorganic acids, carbonic acid, sulfur-containing inorganic acids, nitrogen-containing inorganic acids, and selenium-containing inorganic acids can play an equivalent role.
• the off-flavor of the taste composition of the present invention can be further reduced.
• the mechanism by which organic acid anions or inorganic acid anions enhance the salty taste is unclear. It is speculated that these anions somehow regulate the salty taste enhancement signal in TMC4-expressing taste cells via TMC4 activated by chloride ions.
• some anions such as aspartate, glutamate, and gluconate, may promote the repolarization of taste cells by passing through the ion channel TMC4 and entering the cells, just like chloride ions.
• the relationship between the activity of TMC4 and various organic or inorganic acid anions needs to be verified in future studies.
• the taste composition of the present invention preferably contains a sodium salt of an organic acid and/or an inorganic acid designated as a food additive. In one embodiment, the taste composition of the present invention preferably contains a sodium salt of one or more organic acids and/or a sodium salt of one or more inorganic acids other than hydrochloric acid.
• the sodium salt of one or more organic acids and/or a sodium salt of one or more inorganic acids other than hydrochloric acid is preferably, but not limited to, sodium acetate, sodium propionate, sodium lactate, sodium oleate, sodium stearoyl lactylate, sodium benzoate, sodium gluconate, monosodium succinate, disodium succinate, monosodium fumarate, sodium DL-malate, sodium L-tartrate, sodium DL-tartrate, sodium norbixin, trisodium citrate, sodium L-aspartate, sodium L-glutamate, disodium 5'-adenylate, sodium benzoate, sodium gluconate, sodium stearate ...
• the sodium chloride, ammonium chloride, sodium salts of organic acids, and sodium salts of inorganic acids other than hydrochloric acid that may constitute the taste composition of the present invention may preferably be food additive grade.
• the molar ratio of chloride ions/sodium ions in the taste composition of the present invention is about 1.30 to about 2.30. In one embodiment, the molar ratio of chloride ions/sodium ions in the taste composition of the present invention is preferably about 1.30 to about 1.70, about 1.30 to about 1.80, about 1.30 to about 1.90, about 1.30 to about 2.00, about 1.30 to about 2.10, about 1.30 to about 2.30, about 1.35 to about 1.70, about 1.35 to about 1.80, about 1.35 to about 1.90, about 1.35 to about 2.00, about 1.35 to about 2.10, about 1.
• the molar ratio of ammonium chloride/sodium chloride in the taste composition of the present invention is about 0.2 to about 6.0. In one embodiment, the molar ratio of ammonium chloride/sodium chloride in the taste composition of the present invention can be preferably about 0.2 to about 1.5, about 0.2 to about 2.0, about 0.2 to about 2.5, about 0.2 to about 6.0, about 0.4 to about 1.5, about 0.4 to about 2.0, about 0.4 to about 2.5, about 0.4 to about 6.0, about 0.5 to about 1.5, about 0.5 to about 2.0, about 0.5 to about 2.5, or about 0.5 to about 6.0.
• the taste composition of the present invention can take any form.
• the taste composition of the present invention can be in a solid form, including powder, tablet, and granular forms.
• the solid taste composition of the present invention can be used as a substitute for table salt, for example, table salt.
• the sodium ion content in the solid taste composition of the present invention is about 10% to about 30% by weight, preferably about 12% to about 27% by weight, and more preferably about 15% to about 24% by weight.
• the sodium ion content in the solid taste composition of the present invention can be preferably about 10% by weight to about 24% by weight, about 10% by weight to about 27% by weight, about 10% by weight to about 30% by weight, about 12% by weight to about 24% by weight, about 12% by weight to about 27% by weight, about 12% by weight to about 30% by weight, about 15% by weight to about 24% by weight, about 15% by weight to about 27% by weight, or about 15% by weight to about 30% by weight.
• the taste composition of the present invention can be a dried product produced by drum drying, air drying, spray drying, vacuum drying, freeze drying, or a combination thereof.
• the solid taste composition of the present invention contains ammonium chloride in an amount of about 15% to about 60% by weight, preferably about 20% to about 55% by weight, and more preferably about 22% to about 52% by weight. In one embodiment, the solid taste composition of the present invention contains ammonium chloride in an amount of preferably about 15% to about 52% by weight, about 15% to about 55% by weight, about 15% to about 60% by weight, about 20% to about 52% by weight, about 20% to about 55% by weight, about 20% to about 60% by weight, about 22% to about 52% by weight, about 22% to about 55% by weight, or about 22% to about 60% by weight.
• the solid taste composition of the present invention contains one or more sodium salts of organic acids and/or one or more sodium salts of inorganic acids other than hydrochloric acid in an amount of about 0.5% to about 60% by weight, preferably about 1.0% to about 55% by weight, more preferably about 1.5% to about 48% by weight.
• the solid taste composition of the present invention contains one or more sodium salts of organic acids and/or one or more sodium salts of inorganic acids other than hydrochloric acid in an amount of preferably about 0.5% to about 48% by weight, about 0.5% to about 55% by weight, about 0.5% to about 60% by weight, about 1.0% to about 48% by weight, about 1.0% to about 55% by weight, about 1.0% to about 60% by weight, about 1.5% to about 48% by weight, about 1.5% to about 55% by weight, about 1.5% to about 60% by weight.
• the solid taste composition of the present invention contains sodium chloride in an amount of about 5% to about 70% by weight, preferably about 7% to about 65% by weight, and more preferably about 10% to about 60% by weight. In one embodiment, the solid taste composition of the present invention contains sodium chloride in an amount of preferably about 5% to about 60% by weight, about 5% to about 65% by weight, about 5% to about 70% by weight, about 7% to about 60% by weight, about 7% to about 65% by weight, about 7% to about 70% by weight, about 10% to about 60% by weight, about 10% to about 65% by weight, or about 10% to about 70% by weight.
• the taste composition of the present invention can be in liquid or paste form.
• the taste composition of the present invention can be a concentrate produced by vacuum concentration, membrane concentration, or a combination thereof.
• the sodium ion concentration in the liquid or paste taste composition of the present invention is about 40 mM to about 3.0 M, preferably about 70 mM to about 2.4 M, more preferably about 100 mM to about 2.1 M.
• the sodium ion concentration in the liquid or paste taste composition of the present invention is preferably about 40 mM to about 1.9 M, about 40 mM to about 2.1 M, about 40 mM to about 2.4 M, about 40 mM to about 3.0 M, about 70 mM to about 1.9 M, about 70 mM to about 2.1 M, about 70 mM to about 2.4 M, more preferably about 100 mM to about 2.1 M.
• about 70 mM to about 3.0 M about 100 mM to about 1.9 M, about 100 mM to about 2.1 M, about 100 mM to about 2.4 M, about 100 mM to about 3.0 M, about 300 mM to about 1.9 M, about 300 mM to about 2.1 M, about 300 mM to about 2.4 M or about 300 mM to about 3.0 M.
• the liquid or paste-like flavor composition of the present invention contains ammonium chloride at a concentration of about 20 mM to about 2.0 M, preferably about 25 mM to about 1.5 M, and more preferably about 30 mM to about 1.2 M.
• the liquid or paste-like taste composition of the present invention contains ammonium chloride preferably in a concentration of about 20 mM to about 1.2 M, about 20 mM to about 1.5 M, about 20 mM to about 2.0 M, about 20 mM to about 2.5 M, about 25 mM to about 1.2 M, about 25 mM to about 1.5 M, about 25 mM to about 2.0 M, about 25 mM to about 2.5 M, about 30 mM to about 1.2 M, about 30 mM to about 1.5 M, about 30 mM to about 2.0 M, or about 30 mM to about 2.5 M.
• the liquid or paste-like flavor composition of the present invention comprises one or more sodium salts of organic acids and/or one or more sodium salts of inorganic acids other than hydrochloric acid at a concentration of about 0.05 mM to about 300 mM, preferably about 0.1 mM to about 250 mM, and more preferably about 0.2 mM to about 220 mM.
• the liquid or pasty taste composition of the present invention contains one or more sodium salts of organic acids and/or one or more sodium salts of inorganic acids, excluding hydrochloric acid, preferably at a concentration of about 0.05 mM to about 220 mM, about 0.05 mM to about 250 mM, about 0.05 mM to about 300 mM, about 0.1 mM to about 220 mM, about 0.1 mM to about 250 mM, about 0.1 mM to about 300 mM, about 0.2 mM to about 220 mM, about 0.2 mM to about 250 mM, about 0.2 mM to about 300 mM.
• the liquid or pasty taste composition of the present invention contains sodium chloride at a concentration of about 5 mM to about 2.5 M, preferably about 10 mM to about 2.0 M, more preferably about 12 mM to about 1.8 M. In one embodiment, the liquid or pasty taste composition of the present invention contains sodium chloride at a concentration of about 5 mM to about 1.8 M, about 5 mM to about 2.0 M, about 5 mM to about 2.5 M, about 10 mM to about 1.8 M, about 10 mM to about 2.0 M, about 10 mM to about 2.5 M, about 12 mM to about 1.8 M, about 12 mM to about 2.0 M, or about 12 mM to about 2.5 M.
• the pH of the liquid or paste-like taste composition of the present invention can be preferably about 5.0 to about 7.5, about 5.0 to about 8.0, about 5.0 to about 8.6, about 5.3 to about 7.5, about 5.3 to about 8.0, about 5.3 to about 8.6, about 5.5 to about 7.5, about 5.5 to about 8.0, or about 5.5 to about 8.6.
• the reduced-salt seasoning of the present invention is a seasoning produced by adding the taste composition of the present invention to a seasoning material.
• the content of the taste composition of the present invention in the reduced-salt seasoning of the present invention is not particularly limited, and is appropriately determined depending on the type and form of the seasoning and the desired saltiness.
• the reduced-salt seasoning of the present invention contains the taste composition of the present invention in an amount of about 0.5% by weight to about 95% by weight.
• the reduced-salt seasoning of the present invention can be in any form.
• the reduced-salt seasoning of the present invention can be in a solid form, including powder, tablet, or granular form.
• the reduced-salt seasoning of the present invention can be a dried product produced by drum drying, air drying, spray drying, vacuum drying, or freeze drying, or a combination thereof.
• the dried powdered reduced-salt seasoning of the present invention can be a reduced-salt powdered soup for instant foods.
• the reduced-salt seasoning of the present invention can be in a liquid or paste form.
• the liquid reduced-salt seasoning of the present invention can be, but is not limited to, reduced-salt soy sauce, reduced-salt ponzu sauce, reduced-salt noodle soup, reduced-salt cooking sake, reduced-salt mirin, reduced-salt sauce, reduced-salt dashi, reduced-salt dressing, reduced-salt mayonnaise, reduced-salt tomato ketchup, reduced-salt Worcestershire sauce, reduced-salt pork cutlet sauce, reduced-salt pickled vegetables base, reduced-salt oyster sauce, or any other liquid seasoning.
• the reduced-salt seasoning of the present invention can be a concentrated product produced by vacuum concentration, membrane concentration, or a combination thereof.
• the concentrated liquid reduced-salt seasoning of the present invention can be reduced-salt noodle soup.
• the paste-like reduced-salt seasoning of the present invention can be, but is not limited to, reduced-salt miso, reduced-salt doubanjiang, reduced-salt gochujang, reduced-salt weipa, reduced-salt shantan, or any other type of paste-like seasoning.
• the molar ratio of chloride ions/sodium ions in the solid, liquid, or paste-like reduced-salt seasoning of the present invention is about 1.30 to about 2.30. In one embodiment, the molar ratio of chloride ions/sodium ions in the solid, liquid, or paste-like reduced-salt seasoning of the present invention is preferably about 1.30 to about 1.70, about 1.30 to about 1.80, about 1.30 to about 1.90, about 1.30 to about 2.00, about 1.30 to about 2.10, about 1.30 to about 2.30, about 1.35 to about 1.70, about 1.35 to about 1.80, about 1.35 to about 1.90, about 1.35 to about 2.00, about 1.
• the molar ratio of potassium ions/sodium ions in the liquid or paste-like reduced-salt seasoning of the present invention is preferably 0 to about 0.037, 0 to about 0.040, 0 to about 0.044, 0 to about 0.047, 0 to about 0.050, 0 to about 0.052, 0 to about 0.055, 0 to about 0.059, 0 to about 0.060, 0 to about 0.063, 0 to about 0.065, 0 to about 0.06 7, 0 to about 0.070, 0 to about 0.074, 0 to about 0.077, 0 to about 0.080, 0 to about 0.081, 0 to about 0.083, 0 to about 0.085, 0 to about 0.088, 0 to about 0.090, 0 to about 0.093, 0 to about 0.095, 0 to about 0.098, 0 to about 0.100, 0 to about 0.103, 0 to about 0.105, 0 to about 0.108
• the reduced-salt seasoning of the present invention includes, but is not limited to, soy sauce, ponzu sauce, miso, noodle soup, cooking sake, mirin, sauce, dashi, dressing, mayonnaise, tomato ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, tonkatsu sauce, lightly pickled vegetables, chili bean paste, gochujang, Weipa, shantan, oyster sauce, chicken stock, spices, or combined seasonings.
• the reduced-salt food and drink of the present invention is a food and drink produced by adding the taste composition or reduced-salt seasoning of the present invention to food and drink ingredients or food and drink.
• the content of the taste composition or reduced-salt seasoning of the present invention in the reduced-salt food and drink of the present invention is not particularly limited, and is appropriately determined depending on the type and form of the food and drink and the desired saltiness.
• the reduced-salt food and drink of the present invention contains the taste composition of the present invention in an amount of about 0.01% by weight to about 50% by weight.
• the molar ratio of chloride ions/sodium ions in the reduced-salt food and drink of the present invention is about 1.30 to about 2.30. In one embodiment, the molar ratio of chloride ions/sodium ions in the reduced-salt food or beverage of the present invention is preferably about 1.30 to about 1.70, about 1.30 to about 1.80, about 1.30 to about 1.90, about 1.30 to about 2.00, about 1.30 to about 2.10, about 1.30 to about 2.30, about 1.35 to about 1.70, about 1.35 to about 1.80, about 1.35 to about 1.90, about 1.35 to about 2.00, about 1.35 to about 2.10, about 1.35 to about 2.2 ...
• the reduced-salt food or beverage of the present invention may be in a liquid or paste form.
• the liquid or paste-like reduced-salt food or beverage of the present invention may be, but is not limited to, a reduced-salt sauce such as reduced-salt pasta sauce, reduced-salt demi-glace sauce, reduced-salt white sauce, reduced-salt gratin sauce, reduced-salt hamburger sauce or reduced-salt pizza sauce, reduced-salt soup such as reduced-salt ramen soup or reduced-salt hot pot soup, or a reduced-salt soft drink.
• a reduced-salt sauce such as reduced-salt pasta sauce, reduced-salt demi-glace sauce, reduced-salt white sauce, reduced-salt gratin sauce, reduced-salt hamburger sauce or reduced-salt pizza sauce, reduced-salt soup such as reduced-salt ramen soup or reduced-salt hot pot soup, or a reduced-salt soft drink.
• the molar ratio of chloride ions/sodium ions in the liquid or paste-like reduced-salt food or beverage of the present invention is about 1.30 to about 2.30. In one embodiment, the molar ratio of chloride ions/sodium ions in the liquid or paste-like reduced-salt food or drink of the present invention is preferably about 1.30 to about 1.70, about 1.30 to about 1.80, about 1.30 to about 1.90, about 1.30 to about 2.00, about 1.30 to about 2.10, about 1.30 to about 2.30, about 1.35 to about 1.70, about 1.35 to about 1.80, about 1.35 to about 1.90, about 1.35 to about 2.00, about 1.35 to about 2.10, about 1.35 to about 2.30, about 1.36 to about 1.70, about 1.36 to about 1.80, about 1.36 to about 1.90, about 1.36 to about 2.00, about 1.36 to about 2.10, about 1.36 to about 2.10, about 1.36 to about 2.30, about 1.37 to about 1.70, about 1.37 to about 1.80, about 1.
• the molar ratio of potassium ions/sodium ions in the liquid or paste-like reduced-salt food or beverage of the present invention is preferably 0 to about 0.037, 0 to about 0.040, 0 to about 0.044, 0 to about 0.047, 0 to about 0.050, 0 to about 0.052, 0 to about 0.055, 0 to about 0.059, 0 to about 0.060, 0 to about 0.063, 0 to about 0.065, 0 to about 0.06 7, 0 to about 0.070, 0 to about 0.074, 0 to about 0.077, 0 to about 0.080, 0 to about 0.081, 0 to about 0.083, 0 to about 0.085, 0 to about 0.088, 0 to about 0.090, 0 to about 0.093, 0 to about 0.095, 0 to about 0.098, 0 to about 0.100, 0 to about 0.103, 0 to about 0.105, 0 to about 0.
• the reduced-salt food and drink of the present invention is a substitute for all food and drink that is generally produced using salt.
• the reduced-salt food and drink of the present invention includes, but is not limited to, curry roux, stew roux, hayashi rice roux, sauces such as pasta sauce, demi-glace sauce, white sauce, gratin sauce, hamburger sauce or pizza sauce, soups such as ramen soup or hot pot soup, instant foods such as instant noodles, miso soup or soup, retort foods such as curry, stew, soup or rice bowl bases, frozen foods, freeze-dried foods, side dish bases, seasoned rice bases, sushi bases, furikake, ochazuke bases, canned foods, corned beef, bottled foods, side dish bread, pizza bases, etc.
• the taste composition of the present invention can be used as a substitute for salt to produce a reduced-salt seasoning or reduced-salt food and drink.
• the taste composition of the present invention can be added to food and drink ingredients to enhance the saltiness of the food and drink.
• the reduced-salt seasoning or reduced-salt food and drink of the present invention has a reduced sodium ion content without impairing the saltiness, compared to normal seasonings or foods and drinks produced using salt.
• the reduced-salt seasoning or reduced-salt food and drink of the present invention is superior in providing a more pleasant taste, with less deterioration in flavor and less off-flavor, compared to well-known reduced-salt seasonings or reduced-salt food and drink produced by conventional desalting treatment or using salt substitutes or saltiness enhancers.
• the reduced-salt seasoning or reduced-salt food and drink of the present invention can be produced by replacing part or all of the salt added to the seasoning ingredients or food and drink ingredients with the taste composition of the present invention in an amount necessary to provide a saltiness of the same intensity.
• the reduced-salt seasoning of the present invention can be produced by adding the flavor composition of the present invention to a seasoning material in an amount of about 0.5% to about 95% by weight instead of salt.
• a seasoning material in an amount of about 0.5% to about 95% by weight instead of salt.
• the method for adding the flavor composition of the present invention to the seasoning material can be added by a known method. After adding the flavor composition of the present invention to the seasoning material, it is preferable to stir as necessary.
• the reduced-salt food or beverage of the present invention can be produced by adding the taste composition or reduced-salt seasoning of the present invention to food or beverage ingredients or food or beverage in an amount of about 0.01% by weight to about 50% by weight instead of salt.
• the method of adding the taste composition or reduced-salt seasoning of the present invention to food or beverage ingredients or food or beverage and it can be added by a known method.
• After adding the taste composition or reduced-salt seasoning of the present invention to the food or beverage ingredients or food or beverage it is preferable to stir as necessary.
• the taste composition or reduced-salt seasoning of the present invention can be added during cooking or after the completion of cooking (for example, immediately before or during consumption of the food or beverage).
• the taste composition of the present invention can be added in advance to the seasoning or food or beverage ingredients used in cooking the reduced-salt food or beverage.
• the reduced-salt seasoning or reduced-salt food and drink produced using the taste composition of the present invention is intended for mammalian subjects, including humans, suffering from cardiovascular disease or renal insufficiency, particularly prehypertension or hypertension.
• the reduced-salt seasoning or reduced-salt food and drink of the present invention can improve or prevent the increase in blood pressure and associated symptoms in the subject.
• the reduced-salt seasoning or reduced-salt food and drink produced using the taste composition of the present invention may be taken daily by mammalian subjects, including humans, with normal blood pressure.
• the reduced-salt seasoning or reduced-salt food and drink of the present invention can maintain normal blood pressure and prevent cardiovascular disease or renal insufficiency, particularly hypertension and its complications. What is important is that the reduced-salt food and drink of the present invention does not impair the taste of the food and drink, and therefore does not impair the quality of life.
• the taste composition or reduced-salt seasoning of the present invention may be used alone or in combination with other additives, including, but not limited to, emulsifiers, gelling agents, thickening polysaccharides, flavoring agents, coloring agents, preservatives, antioxidants, stabilizers, and pH adjusters.
• additives including, but not limited to, emulsifiers, gelling agents, thickening polysaccharides, flavoring agents, coloring agents, preservatives, antioxidants, stabilizers, and pH adjusters.
• the taste composition or reduced-salt seasoning of the present invention may be used alone or in combination with other salt substitutes or salty taste enhancers.
• the other salt substitutes or salty taste enhancers include, but are not limited to, potassium chloride, magnesium chloride, calcium chloride, lysine hydrochloride, arginine hydrochloride, magnesium sulfate or calcium sulfate (JP Patent Publication Nos.
• JP Patent Publication No. 2019-150005 isopropanol (JP Patent Publication No. 2019-154387), spilanthol (JP Patent Publication No. 2020-143), carveol or carveol derivatives and eugenol (JP Patent Publication No. 2020-195337), theanine (JP Patent Publication No. 2020-198801), rotundone (JP Patent Publication No. 2021-171024), polyglyceric acid condensed ricinoleic acid ester (JP Patent Publication No. 2021-194001), pyrazine compounds (JP Patent Publication No.
• JP Patent Publication No. 2022-538418 dipeptides containing proline and alanine
• WO 2016/084788 citrus peel extract
• JP Patent Publication No. 2017-153380 tapioca flour, sweet potato flour or potato starch
• JP Patent Publication No. 2017-108682 bean extract
• lactic acid fermentation products using oil-in-water emulsions containing dairy ingredients as a substrate JP Patent No. 2018-29547
• gluten hydrolysates JP Patent No. 2018-74967
• enzyme-treated milk proteins JP Patent No. 2019-110842
• aosa enzyme hydrolysates JP Patent No.
• JP Patent No. 2020-108343 red koji-derived ingredients
• beetroot JP Patent No. 2020-511944 and JP Patent No. 2022-9475
• aqueous extracts of ripe Japanese pepper JP Patent No. 2022-40714
• Persea extracts JP Patent No. 2022-538558
• the amount of chloride ions or sodium ions contained in the taste composition, reduced-salt seasoning, or reduced-salt food or drink of the present invention can be roughly calculated from the amounts of ammonium chloride, one or more sodium salts of organic acids and/or one or more sodium salts of inorganic acids other than hydrochloric acid, and sodium chloride used in the production of the taste composition, reduced-salt seasoning, or reduced-salt seasoning. This is because the contents of chloride ions and sodium ions contained in seasoning materials or food or drink materials are often negligible.
• the amount of chloride ions contained in the reduced-salt seasoning or reduced-salt food or drink of the present invention can be measured by precipitation titration methods including the Mohr method or the Fayance method, potentiometric titration methods, ion electrode methods, or ion chromatography methods.
• the amount of sodium ions or potassium ions contained in the reduced-salt seasoning or reduced-salt food or drink of the present invention can be measured by flame photometry, atomic absorption spectrometry, inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, ion electrode method, or ion chromatography.
• the enhanced salty taste exhibited by the taste composition of the present invention can be measured by an in vitro test system, an in vivo test system, a taste sensor, or a sensory evaluation based on human perception.
• the enhanced saltiness exhibited by the taste composition of the present invention can be measured by a voltage clamp method using an in vitro expression system of the ion channel TMC4.
• the voltage clamp method can be a two-electrode voltage clamp method using Xenopus oocytes, a cell contact mode, a whole cell mode, an inside-out mode, an outside-out mode, or a perforated mode patch clamp method using a cultured cell system.
• the enhanced saltiness exhibited by the taste composition of the present invention can be measured by an optical measurement method of membrane potential activity using a voltage-sensitive dye in an in vitro expression system of the ion channel TMC4.
• the enhanced salty taste exhibited by the taste composition of the present invention can be measured by an electrophysiological test or a behavioral test using an animal in which at least one subunit of ENaC or TMC4, or two or more genes selected therefrom, have been knocked out.
• the electrophysiological test can be a whole nerve bundle response recording test or a single fiber response recording test of the chorda tympani nerve or the lingual branch of the glossopharyngeal nerve.
• the behavioral test can be a two-bottle choice test or a licking test.
• the enhanced saltiness of the taste composition of the present invention can be measured using a taste sensor.
• the taste sensor can detect the change in membrane potential due to the presence of a tasting substance in an artificial lipid membrane and quantify the taste.
• the enhanced saltiness exhibited by the taste composition of the present invention can be measured by a sensory evaluation.
• the sensory evaluation can be either an analytical sensory evaluation or a preference-type sensory evaluation.
• the analytical sensory evaluation can be a two-point discrimination test, a three-point discrimination test, a match test, a ranking test, a rating test, a paired comparison test, or a Scheffe paired comparison test.
• the preference-type sensory evaluation can be a two-point preference test, a ranking test, a rating test, a paired comparison test, or a Scheffe paired comparison test.
• Test Example 1 The saltiness enhancement ratio of the taste composition of the present invention is enhanced in proportion to the molar ratio of chloride ions/sodium ions.
• the intensities of salty taste and off-taste have been optimized by empirically changing the ratio of each component without any guidelines.
• the present inventors focused on the molar ratio of chloride ions/sodium ions as a parameter that can systematically adjust salty taste intensity while maintaining a low level of sodium ions to prevent the onset or progression of hypertension. That is, the present inventors conceived an approach to enhance salty taste by enhancing the anion effect in TMC4-expressing taste cells.
• Each sample was prepared by dissolving ammonium chloride, trisodium citrate, and table salt in purified water in a graduated cylinder.
• the intensity of saltiness and non-salty tastes (off-tastes) was measured using an analytical sensory evaluation scoring method.
• Four healthy adult males and four adult females who agreed to participate in the test participated as panelists.
• each test was conducted on 5 to 8 subjects randomly selected from the 8 subjects.
• each panelist was trained to accurately score the saltiness intensity of 0.5%, 0.6%, 0.7%, 0.8%, 0.9%, and 1.0% (w/v) saline solutions (standard solutions). Briefly, each panelist tasted and swallowed a small amount of each standard solution of each concentration in a 3-ounce plastic cup made of a material that does not affect the taste and odor of the sample.
• each panelist tasted and swallowed a small amount of each sample, which had a chloride ion/sodium ion molar ratio adjusted to a predetermined value in a 3-ounce plastic cup, and determined which of the six standard solutions had the same saltiness intensity.
• the sodium chloride concentration (w/v%) and sodium ion concentration (mM) of each standard solution are shown in Table 2.
• each panelist rated the intensity of non-salty tastes (off-tastes) of each sample on a 5-point scale: 0; no off-taste, 1; slight off-taste, 2; slight but tolerable off-taste, 3; off-taste, 4; not salty.
• Examples 1-1 to 1-14 were prepared using the following ratios of reagents (Tables 3 to 5). Table 3. Composition of samples containing trisodium citrate *1 The content of each component used in sample preparation in the reagent mixture is expressed as weight percent. *2 The sodium content (wt%) in the reagent mixture was calculated based on the weight of the anhydrous salt. *3 Indicates the pH of a solution in which each sample was dissolved in purified water at 1% (w/v).
• Table 4 Composition of samples containing trisodium citrate *1 The content of each component used in sample preparation in the reagent mixture is expressed as weight percent. *2 The sodium content (wt%) in the reagent mixture was calculated based on the weight of the anhydrous salt. *3 Indicates the pH of a solution in which each sample was dissolved in purified water at 1% (w/v).
• Table 5 Composition of samples containing trisodium citrate *1
• the content of each component used in sample preparation in the reagent mixture is expressed as weight percent.
• *2 The sodium content (wt%) in the reagent mixture was calculated based on the weight of the anhydrous salt.
• *3 Indicates the pH of a solution in which each sample was dissolved in purified water at 1% (w/v).
• Examples 1-1 to 1-5 The results of the sensory evaluation of each sample in which the sodium concentration was adjusted to 72 mM (Examples 1-1 to 1-5), 60 mM (Examples 1-6 to 1-9), or 48 mM (Examples 1-10 to 1-14) are shown in Tables 6 to 8, respectively.
• *2 The saltiness enhancement ratio is the ratio obtained by dividing the average saltiness intensity of each sample by the concentration of a sodium chloride solution containing 72 mM sodium ions (0.42%). *3 Off-flavors are shown as average values.
• Test Example 2 The increase in the saltiness enhancement ratio with an increase in the chloride ion/sodium ion molar ratio of the taste composition of the present invention is generalized to sodium salts of organic acids and inorganic acids except for hydrochloric acid)
• Test Example 2 The increase in the saltiness enhancement ratio with an increase in the chloride ion/sodium ion molar ratio of the taste composition of the present invention is generalized to sodium salts of organic acids and inorganic acids except for hydrochloric acid
• Examples 2-1 to 2-4 in which sodium L-tartrate was used as the sodium salt of an organic acid, were prepared using the following amounts of reagents (Table 9). Table 9. Composition of samples containing sodium L-tartrate *1 The content of each component used in sample preparation in the reagent mixture is expressed as weight percent. *2 The sodium content (wt%) in the reagent mixture was calculated based on the weight of the anhydrous salt. *3 Indicates the pH of a solution in which each sample was dissolved in purified water at 1% (w/v).
• Examples 3-1 to 3-3 in which sodium DL-malate was used as the sodium salt of an organic acid, were prepared using the following amounts of reagents (Table 11). Table 11. Composition of samples containing sodium DL-malate *1 The content of each component used in sample preparation in the reagent mixture is expressed as weight percent. *2 The sodium content (wt%) in the reagent mixture was calculated based on the weight of the anhydrous salt. *3 Indicates the pH of a solution in which each sample was dissolved in purified water at 1% (w/v).
• Examples 4-1 to 4-3 in which sodium gluconate was used as the sodium salt of an organic acid, were prepared using the following reagent amounts (Table 13). Table 13. Composition of samples containing sodium gluconate *1 The content of each component used in sample preparation in the reagent mixture is expressed as weight percent. *2 The sodium content (wt%) in the reagent mixture was calculated based on the weight of the anhydrous salt. *3 Indicates the pH of a solution in which each sample was dissolved in purified water at 1% (w/v).
• Examples 5-1 to 5-3 in which sodium L-aspartate was used as the sodium salt of an organic acid, were prepared using the following amounts of reagents (Table 15). Table 15. Composition of samples containing sodium L-aspartate *1 The content of each component used in sample preparation in the reagent mixture is expressed as weight percent. *2 The sodium content (wt%) in the reagent mixture was calculated based on the weight of the anhydrous salt. *3 Indicates the pH of a solution in which each sample was dissolved in purified water at 1% (w/v).
• Examples 6-1 to 6-3 in which sodium L-glutamate was used as the sodium salt of an organic acid, were prepared using the following amounts of reagents (Table 17). Table 17. Composition of samples containing monosodium L-glutamate *1 The content of each component used in sample preparation in the reagent mixture is expressed as weight percent. *2 The sodium content (wt%) in the reagent mixture was calculated based on the weight of the anhydrous salt. *3 Indicates the pH of a solution in which each sample was dissolved in purified water at 1% (w/v).
• Examples 7-1 to 7-3 in which disodium 5'-adenylate was used as the sodium salt of an organic acid, were prepared using the following ratio of reagents (Table 19). Table 19. Composition of samples containing disodium 5'-adenylate *1 The content of each component used in sample preparation in the reagent mixture is expressed as weight percent. *2 The sodium content (wt%) in the reagent mixture was calculated based on the weight of the anhydrous salt. *3 Indicates the pH of a solution in which each sample was dissolved in purified water at 1% (w/v).
• composition of samples containing trisodium phosphate *1
• the content of each component used in sample preparation in the reagent mixture is expressed as weight percent.
• *2 The sodium content (wt%) in the reagent mixture was calculated based on the weight of the anhydrous salt.
• *3 Indicates the pH of a solution in which each sample was dissolved in purified water at 1% (w/v).
• the sourness as an off-taste was slight or at most within the tolerable range, but in some samples, the off-taste became stronger as the amount of the sodium salt of the organic acid increased. In particular, the sourness as an off-taste became stronger when the amount of DL-sodium malate was increased (Example 3-1 in Table 12). Moreover, Examples 6-1 to 6-3, which contain monosodium L-glutamate, also known as an umami substance, showed a favorable umami taste as an off-taste. This flavor composition would be ideal for use in food and beverages that exhibit umami and saltiness, such as Japanese-style soup stock.
• Test Example 3 The taste composition of the present invention has a higher saltiness intensity and less off-flavor than commercially available reduced-salt seasonings.
• the saltiness and off-flavor of the taste composition of the present invention were compared with table salt and a commercially available salty seasoning.
• Example 9 was obtained by dissolving the same amount of reagents (Table 3) as in Examples 1-3 in purified water so that the sodium concentration was adjusted to 120 mM (Table 23).
• Example 9 The saltiness intensity and off-flavor of Example 9 were evaluated using table salt (Comparative Examples 1 and 2), commercially available sea salt (raw materials/sun-dried sea salt (93%; Mexico or Australia), seawater (7%; Japan); ingredient label/sodium chloride 95.5%, magnesium 0.1-0.2%, calcium 0.05-0.2%, potassium 0.01-0.15%) (Comparative Example 3), commercially available high-potassium-containing reduced-salt seasoning A (raw materials/seawater (Japan), seasoning (inorganic salts, etc.) (53%), magnesium carbonate (1%), calcium glutamate, polyglutamic acid; ingredient label/sodium chloride 46.0%, potassium 27.3%, magnesium 0.22%) (Comparative Example 4), and commercially available lemon-containing reduced-salt seasoning (raw materials/lactose (made in the United States), table salt, lemon powder, protein hydrolysate, citric acid, fine silicon dioxide, seasoning (amino acids, etc.); ingredient label (per 100
• each sample was evaluated by analytical sensory evaluation.
• the saltiness intensity was evaluated by a ranking method, and the off-flavors were evaluated by a rating method similar to Test Examples 1 and 2.
• each panelist compared the saltiness intensity of each sample and assigned a ranking to each sample in order of saltiness intensity.
• Tables 24 and 25 With reference to the ingredient labeling of each product, the average ranking of the saltiness intensity of each sample in which the sodium concentration was adjusted to 120 mM or 154 mM was the highest for Example 9.
• the taste composition of the present invention has the highest saltiness intensity at the same sodium concentration compared to commercially available salty seasonings. Furthermore, the taste composition of the present invention has significantly less off-flavor than well-known reduced-salt seasonings. Therefore, it has been demonstrated that the taste composition of the present invention is superior to all currently commercially available seasonings as a reduced-salt seasoning for reducing sodium intake without compromising the pleasure of eating.
• a base for light pickles was prepared by dissolving 108.0 g of salt, 49.7 g of 50% sodium lactate, and 67.2 g of ammonium chloride in tap water in a plastic bottle and filling it up to 1 L (Example 11).
• a control base for light pickles was prepared by dissolving 200.0 g of salt in tap water and filling it up to 1 L (Comparative Example 9). The composition of each sample is shown in Table 27. Table 27. Composition of the reduced-salt pickle base of the present invention and the control sample *1 The content of each component in the solution used to prepare the sample is expressed as w/v%.
• Example 11 or Comparative Example 9 200 g of cucumbers, sliced to a thickness of about 5 mm, were placed in each of two transparent plastic bags with zippers. 20 g of Example 11 or Comparative Example 9 was added to each of these bags, and after closing the zipper, the plastic bags were kneaded well with hands to mix evenly. The cucumbers were then stored in the refrigerator for 2 hours to allow the pickling agent to penetrate the cucumbers, yielding pickled cucumbers.
• the taste of the lightly pickled vegetables obtained using each sample was evaluated by a two-point discrimination method of analytical sensory evaluation.
• each panelist compared the saltiness intensity of each sample and judged which sample had a higher saltiness intensity than the other. If no difference in saltiness intensity was observed between the two samples, each panelist so judged.
• the results are shown in Table 28. All panelists judged that there was no difference in taste other than saltiness between the two samples.
• Example 11 has the same saltiness intensity as the control product prepared using only table salt, despite the sodium content being reduced by 40%, and that Example 11 does not impart any off-flavor other than saltiness.
• Example 12 A control mayonnaise was prepared in the same manner as in Example 12, except that the ammonium chloride and sodium acetate trihydrate were replaced with salt (Comparative Example 10). The composition of each sample is shown in Table 29.
• Example 12 The molar ratio of potassium ion/sodium ion in Example 12 and Comparative Example 10 was calculated from the amount of potassium in each ingredient obtained from the Food Composition Analysis Table ("Japan Food Composition Analysis Table 2023 8th Edition", edited by Ishiyaku Publishing). Table 29. Composition of the reduced-salt mayonnaise of the present invention and the control sample *1 The content of each component in the solution used to prepare the sample is expressed as w/v%.
• each sample was evaluated using a two-point discrimination method of analytical sensory evaluation.
• Test Examples 1 to 5 were aimed at taste compositions or reduced-salt seasonings (Examples 1-1 to 12) containing one type of organic acid or one type of inorganic acid (except for hydrochloric acid) per sample, but some samples showed an increase in off-flavor as the organic acid anion increased. Therefore, it was tested whether it is possible to suppress the off-flavor associated with an increase in the concentration of a specific organic acid or inorganic acid anion by combining small amounts of multiple organic acids and/or sodium salts of inorganic acids and adjusting the molar ratio of chloride ion/sodium ion to a predetermined value. For this purpose, the salty taste intensity and off-flavor of Examples 13-1 to 13-3, which combine five sodium salts of organic acids, were evaluated in the same manner as Test Examples 1 and 2.
• Examples 13-1 to 13-3 were prepared using the following ratios of reagents (Table 31). Table 31. Composition of samples containing sodium salts of five organic acids *1 The content of each component used in sample preparation in the reagent mixture is expressed as weight percent. *2 The sodium content (wt%) in the reagent mixture was calculated based on the weight of the anhydrous salt. *3 Indicates the pH of a solution in which each sample was dissolved in purified water at 1% (w/v).
• the effect of the taste composition of the present invention can be further enhanced by optimizing the composition of a combination of one or more sodium salts of organic acids and/or one or more sodium salts of inorganic acids other than hydrochloric acid, rather than using only a single sodium salt of an organic acid or an inorganic acid other than hydrochloric acid.

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